Midweek Motivation :) 

Keep moving and success will follow! 

The end is near :)

#BTech2014 #PublicRelations #SMED14

xxx

FOUR PR Lessons From 'Gone Girl'

PR Lessons From a Blockbuster?

In this new blockbuster, 'Gone Girl', Ben Affleck's character, Nick Dunne, is suspected to have murdered his pregnant wife, Amy. The American media then take it upon themselves to scrutinize Affleck's character, treating the saga as if he was in a reality show. His life turns into newsworthy stories as well as entertainment. Everything from his past is dug up - this turns into a Public Relations nightmare which he cannot escape. This movie portrays the media environment in which we live today - 'interesting' stories gravitate towards topics like POP Culture and celeb news instead of wars, poverty, and sensitive international issues. It shows how important media is within any matter - how important PR is within any matter. The perceptions people have of a certain issue, business, person will affect what decisions are made at the ened of the day - pertaining to 'Gone Girl', the public opinion convicts before the gavel is slammed (this was all thanks to the media). 

"Amid all this chaos are essential lessons about crisis communications. Nick’s famed criminal attorney Tanner Bolt (played by Tyler Perry) advises his client, even before he’s hired, to “get out in front” of the story" - solid PR advice! Nothing good comes from hiding issues from the public, allowing them to generate their own perceptions could affect the image of any issue. 

Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page AD - Richard Branson.

Follow this link for the 4 PR lessons and full article: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/17461.aspx 

FLASHBACK FRIDAY!

Outside the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town - this was one of the organisations we approached. They hosted an event that is affiliated to the WCD Initiative.

SO, Flashback Friday to Monday's Madness! This past Monday, the full-time BTech: PR group hosted a group of 24 Dutch students from Fonty's School of Communication, based in Eindhoven, for a few hours. We got together in order to complete an activity, whereby we needed to find out how PR was contributing or being used within organisations affiliated to the World Capital Design Initiative. In groups, we set out all over the CBD in search of these organisations in order to investigate the use of PR. It was a great way to get to know this very friendly group of people!

Cape Town - World Capital of Design for the year 2014. Stickers like these are found on organisations that are affiliated to the WCD Initiative. 

Marit, Marri, and Ida posing for photos in one of the many Design Capital Initiative's 'photo opportunity boxes' all over Cape Town - this is the Table Mountain one.

It was great getting to know the differences between the two communication courses offered by CPUT and Fonty's. They were also very interested in the similarities in languages - Afrikaans and Dutch. They are an amazing group of people, that still has a week left of their study trip.

The little social we had after our activities. 

I wish them all of the best for the rest of their trip! This can definitely be seen as one of the highlights of this BTech year. 

Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments. - Rose Kennedy. 

xxx

The Final Stretch :)

So, today marks the four week 'deadline' to finishing my BTech: Public Relations Management course. I have a total of only seven assessments left before it is time for me to hit the real world. This race is finally almost over!

I have matured so much over the past four years as a student and could have never imagined how much I, as a person, would change. I've experienced so much, met some great people - some of which I can call friends, learned so much, taken on so much responsibility. I am truly grateful to all that has made my studying journey a pleasant one. This course forces you to come out of the shell you are hiding in - and that is exactly what it has accomplished in my case. 

The upcoming weeks should be memorable - this should include the very last 'December holiday' I plan on having before kicking off into work mode. But not everything goes according to plan. 

Staying Hopeful :)

xxx

WELCOME

I am, for now, a BTech: Public Relations Management student. This all changes in November 2014! After November 2014 I will officially be 'unemployed', no longer a student, and hopefully ready to face 'the real world'. A world that is filled with the immense pressure to succeed. 

A student is who I have been for the last four years of my life. Knowing that this is all coming to an end is scary but exciting at the same time. This is the start of a new chapter!

This blog will be dedicated to my journey through it all - the adjustment, how I go about finding my feet as a Public Relations professional, my experiences, and posts about the things I hold near and dear to my heart - my family and friends. 

The best is yet to be - Robert Browning.

Happy Blogging :) 

xx